Fly Away, Cloudkit, Fly Away
by TheLittleInu
Summary: Please read the small explaination at the beginning of the story. Basically what happens is Cloudkit gets catnapped by a falcon.


_Let me make this clear…I know since Firestar is leader, Cloudkit should be Cloudtail. And Whisperpaw and Frozenclaw don't exist; they are characters of my own design. Some things are changed. I needed Cloudkit to be a kit because he is a very ambitious cat, even as a kit…Now, read the story._

Fly Away, Cloudkit, Fly Away

Whisperpaw pressed her lips together in concentration. She eyed the plump russet-colored mouse with sharp judgment. It rustled in the fallen leaves, gnawing peacefully on an acorn. She narrowed her soft gray eyes and unsheathed her claws…slowly. _Silence is key._

The mouse pricked its ears at something in the distance. Dropping the nut, it took one bound and plummeted down a hole.

Whisperpaw cursed. "Fox dung," she hissed. Looking up, she noticed a wide-eyed kit staring at her. It was a sturdy tom-kit with a long white pelt and sparkling blue eyes.

"What are you gawping at, Cloudkit?" Whisperpaw snapped. "I almost got that mouse. Now I'm going to fail my assessment."

Cloudkit cast his eyes downward to his small paws. "Sorry, Whisperpaw," he muttered.

A deafening screech echoed in the treetops. Cloudkit's icy eyes widened in alarm as sharp, curved talons grasped his loose skin. Whisperpaw gasped as a falcon lifted Cloudkit into the air with ease, then flapped it's powerful dappled wings once and soared toward Fourtrees.

Whisperpaw shrieked. "Cloudkit! A falcon carried Cloudkit away!" she scrambled through the undergrowth and bursted through the fern wall. The early morning sun shone brightly on her ash-colored fur, but she felt anything but sunny. She was distressed.

Firestar winced. "Curiosity killed the cat." He panicked, looking this way and that.

Cinderpelt growled, "He won't be dead if we go now! Quick, Firestar, tell someone to go!" she urged her leader.

Firestar stood frozen. Cloudkit was his young, ambitious nephew. Always getting himself into trouble! Like uncle, like nephew? He thought gravely to himself, hoping that Cloudkit's adventurous nature had not come from him.

Cinderpelt, seeing Firestar hesitate, immediately took control. "Dustpelt, you're fast; go with Whisperpaw because she knows where to go." Glancing forlornly at her injured hind leg, she added in a quieter tone, "I would go, but I'm clearly hindered by this lame thing. Mousefur, you go, and go now!" Cinderpelt hobbled back to her den to prepare herbs lest there be any injuries to the kit.

Whisperpaw clawed her way back through the vines once orders were given. She was the fastest cat in the Clan, with her lean gray body, thick, rippling muscles, and long legs. Even Dustpelt's sides heaved with exhaustion as he struggled to draw near to the spry apprentice. Mousefur bounded alongside the two, her head bobbing up and down as she ran furiously.

"We're almost to Fourtrees," Whisperpaw panted as the trio crossed the river.

"Cloudkit got carried off by a falcon!" Mousefur yowled in anxiety to the fazed RiverClan cats that stared. Silverstream, a beautiful thin she-cat joined in the pursuit.

Whisperpaw was still galloping in the lead. Her legs spindled out in front of her body; she pulled them toward her torso and it shot her forward across a stretch of mud. Anxiously, the young she-cat extended her legs as far out as her sore, raw muscles would allow.

Dustpelt slowed. "We're coming to ShadowClan camp," he meowed darkly.

"That's no reason to stop!" Silverstream cried, as quick as ever.

Dustpelt furrowed his brow, but advanced further. "We'd better warn them," he mewed, huffing.

The four cats tore through the ShadowClan camp. Whisperpaw hissed hastily, "A kit was taken by a falcon!"

Nightstar nodded respectfully after them, for they were already at the other side of camp and at the entrance to Fourtrees. "Let StarClan be with the kit," he called, sending one of his warriors to assist them in the chase. The warrior he selected was Frozenclaw, who leaped at the chance to deem himself worthy.

Whisperpaw was certainly out of breath. She had never realized until now just how long it really took to go to Fourtrees. It seemed moons ago that she was hunting the fat brown mouse, although it was merely minutes.

The falcon had just landed, with Cloudkit wailing piteously in its menacing claws. Whisperpaw stood rigid in terror, and then grew limp as she fainted from fatigue. Frozenclaw, the cat with the most strength (for he had not been running across all the Clan territories!), sprinted at the bird, which was serenely perched on a low-hanging branch. He flew at the falcon, positively mad with willpower to prove himself.

Knocking the bird down, Frozenclaw pinned it to the ground. He struggled to keep it down as the falcon trashed about with its broad wings and flailing talons. Mousefur jumped into the battle and dragged a whimpering Cloudkit into the safety of a large fern plant; Dustpelt fought against the bird alongside Frozenclaw; all the while Silverstream was fretting about Whisperpaw's unmoving state. She licked the young apprentice she-cat furiously; but her efforts conveyed no avail.

With a final earsplitting screech of frustration, the falcon freed itself from the aggressions of Frozenclaw and Dustpelt, flying away in a defeated manner; blood ran steadily down one wing and numerous feathers lay scattered about the battle scene.

All five cats gazed at each other. Finally Silverstream spoke. "I wish fortune on all of you as you journey back to your territories; meanwhile, I must to retreat back to RiverClan, where I am needed most." With a dismissing flick of her tail, the silver she-cat whirled around and hurtled back to RiverClan camp.

Mousefur glanced over at Dustpelt. "I'll bring the kit, but you'll have to wait until she awakens," she mewed softly and gestured to Whisperpaw. Mousefur hoisted up Cloudkit, who was trembling with shock, and carried him in her jaws off in the direction of ThunderClan. The hollow was silent for several minutes.

Frozenclaw spoke. "I am no medicine cat, but my sister is. I'll escort her to ThunderClan once she awakens, for I fear it will not be for a while. You will not be attacked on your way out of camp. You are dismissed." The young warrior spoke with authority to Dustpelt, who was considerably older. He nodded his head once and Dustpelt reluctantly padded away from Whisperpaw.

Hours later, it was nighttime. Frozenclaw had lain in the mossy clearing with Whisperpaw. He talked to her, even though she was not awake.

"I just had my warrior ceremony a moon ago," murmured the black tomcat with a dreamy look in his gray-blue eyes. "It was beautiful." Here he looked at Whisperpaw. He mewed in a quieter voice, "not everyone welcomed me, however. They thought I was too young to be a warrior. They thought it was going against the warrior code. I should have been accepted as a warrior today, in fact.

Whisperpaw's eyes fluttered open. She blinked at the strange black cat with white paws that was gazing at her so intently. She flinched, quite taken aback.

"I'm Frozenclaw. You were out cold after that long run from ThunderClan"

"Cloudkit…?"

"He's safe at home. We couldn't drag you back to camp."

Whisperpaw's memory flooded back to her. "I should have had my warrior ceremony myself, tonight," she murmured.

"You should get up and stretch after lying still for so long. I'll accompany you back to your territory."

Whisperpaw liked this tomcat. He was smart and good-looking, and was quite gentle. Furthermore, they were close in age.

"Thanks," she purred, stretching out her legs. Frozenclaw nodded.

"We'd better go now," he meowed quickly. Whisperpaw began the brisk walk back to camp. A chill clung onto her fur; she shook it off quickly.

At last they were back at the ThunderClan border. She still couldn't believe Frozenclaw was from ShadowClan. She smiled warmly. "Thank you, our Clan is appreciative of you. You are welcome to hunt on your way out, Frozenclaw."

He nodded and returned the smile. Frozenclaw disappeared into the shadows, his dark fur blending in with night.

Whisperpaw sat down and looked after him for a long time. After a bit, she heard rustling in the bushes. Her muscles tensed. She glanced over at the horizon; the sun was beginning to rise. A black head poked out of the bushes.

"It's dawn!" she exclaimed in a hushed voice.

Frozenclaw meowed, "I don't know your name."

"Whisperpaw."

He nodded, and gave her a quick lick on the cheek. Thinking he had done the wrong thing, he blinked in embarrassment.

Whisperpaw touched her nose to his, and ran back to camp.

"Whisperpaw! Where have you been all night long?" Firestar was bewildered. "We thought you had gone missing!"

Without answering, the she-cat seized a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. She was sure that it was the mouse she had been trying to hunt just the morning before. Whisperpaw wolfed down the mouse in an instant and turned to her leader.

"We followed Cloudkit, and I fainted from exertion." She meowed quietly.

"She was out cold for hours," added Dustpelt.

"I'm fine, Firestar. How is Cloudkit?" Whisperpaw's tail-tip twitched nervously.

Firestar looked away at the mention of his nephew. "He's fine. You should go visit him in Cinderpelt's den."

Whisperpaw nodded and brushed past other staring Clan cats to the medicine cat's den. She gave Cloudkit a small lick.

"He had some bruising and his skin was a bit grazed from the hawk's claws, but he's alright. He's very shocked, however."

Whisperpaw stared at Cinderpelt. "Falcon," she meowed loudly.

Cinderpelt raised her head. "What was that?" she asked.

"It was a falcon. The bird that carried Cloudkit away was a falcon, not a hawk."

Cinderpelt returned Whisperpaw's blank stare with one of confusion. "You should get some sleep," she advised.

Whisperpaw shook her head. "I don't need sleep. I slept enough while I was in ShadowClan."

Cinderpelt raised her eyebrows at the apprentice's defiance. "As your medicine cat, I order you to sleep," she said in a harsh manner, pushing rose petals towards Cloudkit and reapplying cobwebs.

Whisperpaw walked away without another word. She walked towards ShadowClan camp.


End file.
